Doing The Homework

I have always done my dishes by hand. Don't get the wrong idea, it isn't one of my favorite household chores but, it must get done. Lately, I have been thinking, it would be nice to load them up, and walk away. So I began looking , on-line of course, to see what is what in dishwashers these days. Ultra quiet operation, tall tubs, moveable racks, a third rack, cutlery baskets on the door, dedicated knife drawers, and so many cycles it made my head spin.

But, we are only two most of the time my Honey and myself, so how much washing space do we need? That's when a friend suggested dishwasher drawers as an alternative. Back I go to the internet to see what is available in those models. You can purchase a single drawer or double drawers that fit in the same footprint as a standard dishwasher. The bottom drawer is larger and will accommodate smaller pots and pans.

It seems, that though these machines have been installed in kitchens for around 10 years, there aren't that many brands. They are also rather pricier than their standard cousins.

Looking At The Comments

I took the time to read the many comments and consumer reports. Most of the features of the standard dishwashers were looked on favorably. The many washing cycles were more a matter of how you like to wash your dishes or what dishes you wash. This definitely caught my interest because I have old china, crystal, and cutlery that I like to use frequently. My Gram always told me to use whatever I have and not leave it sitting in the china cabinet for someone else to use someday.

Of the drawer models, the comments came in at opposite ends of the spectrum. People either loved the convenience and they worked well or they didn't clean well or work well. There were no complaints about what fit in them, which lead me to believe they understood the limitations before making their purchase.

The Decision Is... Drumroll Please

I am going to continue washing my dishes by hand. The few dishes Michael and I generate at any given meal rarely take more than 10-15 minutes to clear up and wash. In the summer months, I love looking outside at the birds in the feeder and bath as I do the dishes. As for my china and such, I can't see myself trusting those lovely old things passed down from my Mom and Gram to a heartless machine.

Just as a sidenote, the dishwashers I researched were; Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, KitchenAid, and Miele.